Sweeter Dolce Vita

Loved by Italians, Rimini is even easier for us to reach, Jordan Reynolds finds

- Jordan Reynolds finds

ycling along a path fringing the Adriatic Sea, I pass families entering a play park and older couples walking hand in hand. The pedestrianised "park of the sea" is a quiet spot for a morning stroll but also turns into a lively night-time destination.

What once was a road and car park is now a path curved like waves, which will stretch to nine miles when finished next year.

Rimini, a city in northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, has long been a favourite coastal resort for Italians of all generations. Some have been choosing the same beach spots for decades, tour guide Monia Magalotti tells me.

And it’s easier to reach from the UK with the launch of BA direct flights from Heathrow, just in time for summer.

About 150 beach clubs line the path, along with restaurants, parks, gyms and more.

But after leaving the path, crossing a road then cycling for 10 minutes, I'm surrounded by a mix of brightly coloured quaint buildings with shutters covering the windows that could have jumped out of a fairy tale.

This is traditional fishing village Borgo San Giuliano, a popular area for restaurants, with tables overlooking the river.

Monia says it’s Rimini’s hospitality that keeps people coming back here.